


Home for the Holidays

by antigrav_vector



Series: Spiraling Ever Upward [6]
Category: Captain America (MCU), Iron Man (MCU), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bisexual James Rhodes, Bisexual Tony Stark, F/M, M/M, POV Tony Stark, Threesome - M/M/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 17:11:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16309304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: The semester is drawing to a close and Christmas is looming. Tony's got to go home for the holidays, and he's not sure it won't be a disaster... but it could be worse.





	Home for the Holidays

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'ed.
> 
> So, here is the next installment of my college AU of my OT6 fic series [Like trying to stop an avalanche](https://archiveofourown.org/series/380455). It's no longer going to follow the Happy Steve Bingo prompts, since I've done my bingo. There will be a lot of poly in upcoming installments, so if that's not your thing, beware.

Tony eyed his history assignment. Stupid gen ed requirements. He didn't want to write an essay about what the fuck ever political insanity happened during the 1970s in Australia. That had nothing to do with anything, and he didn't see the point. Moreover, Christmas break was coming up soon. He let himself fall back onto his beat up couch in his workshop with a groan and flung an arm over his face.

"Come on, Tony, it can't be that bad," Pepper chided him, walking into the room about a minute later. "This is the third time this week I've found you dramatically sprawled on your couch bemoaning your history class."

"You don't even know that's what I was doing," he replied, knowing his irritation would be audible. "I might've been sleeping."

"You? Willingly sleeping before midnight?" Pepper scoffed. "Never happen. Anyway, your aunt Peggy called. She wants to know if we're joining her for dinner Christmas Eve, and said we should bring Rhodey."

"Aunt Peggy called you?" Tony sat up and let his arm fall back to his side. This was a first. "Obviously we're going. She'd skin me if we didn't."

Pepper answered with a deceptively sweet smile. "She thinks I'm good for you."

She was right. Both of them were. But damned if Tony would ever admit that out loud. "She's just happy she has someone to pump for gossip. You already called Rhodey, didn't you."

It wasn't, strictly, a question. Pepper answered it anyway. "He's clearing his calendar as we speak."

Oh. Wait. He hadn't bought any of them gifts yet. Shit. "I'll have to go--"

"Get your family Christmas gifts?" Pepper cut him off. "It's taken care of. You can make it up to me by at least trying not to make a fool of yourself at dinner."

"With Uncle Gabe and Aunt Peggy and the last few Howlies around?" Tony muttered, unable to keep the smile off his face entirely as he thought about that group of indomitable war veterans, "That's physically impossible."

Oh well. Even if he was going to end up interrogated to an inch of his life as always, at least his adopted family approved of his girlfriend and his best friend with benefits. They didn't know about the 'benefits' part yet, but Tony had no doubt whatsoever, that it would come to light soon enough. The Howlies could sniff out good gossip two miles away, even if it was downwind.

Aunt Peggy had taken him in when his parents had gotten themselves killed in that car crash three years ago, and then the rest of the Howlies had unofficially adopted him, the moment they'd heard the news. He'd gone from having two parents who'd cared but been more than a little distant, to having six who wanted to know every detail of his life and hadn't hesitated to give him all kinds of hilariously bad advice. Their assorted kids and grandkids were not much better, in that respect, but it was always a craps shoot how many would turn up for Christmas Dinner.

The best part was always the stories. The Howlies had a story for every occasion that could have you clutching at your sides and howling with laughter. Tony was convinced that was where their nickname had come from.

Pepper cleared her throat delicately, making him refocus on the present. "Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"You'd better get that essay done before we have to leave, or you'll end up leaving it to the last minute again and panicking because you can't find enough sources," she pointed out.

Whining at her pitifully, in the hopes that she might let him off the hook, Tony dropped back down on the sofa. "But the topic is dumb and not relevant to anything. This class is pointless and I don't see why they couldn't at least offer something more interesting. At MIT for god's sake."

"So _make_ it relevant," Pepper told him, rolling her eyes. "Make something plausible up that you find vaguely interesting."

That. Tony stared at her. "You're a genius."

"Don't thank me for the tip. Thank Natasha."

"Who?" Tony hadn't heard that name come up before. At least, he didn't think so. He didn't always pay attention to every word Pepper spoke, for all that he should.

"Acquaintance of mine. I met her in my own incredibly boring history class," Pepper offered. "She's nice. You'd like her. She has two boyfriends of her own."

Tony perked up. Another poly couple? "So why have I never met her?"

"Worry about that _after_ you finish your essay and pack. If she's not too busy with her own family, maybe we can invite her here once we're back from your aunt's dinner."

That was probably the safest approach. If they invited her before, the Howlies would sniff her out and then they wouldn't let go of the topic until Tony managed to pry himself and his two significant others out of the house. "Fine," he conceded. "Tell her to bring those boyfriends of hers."

Pepper raised an eyebrow at him. "So help me, if you just want someone new to flirt with--"

"No! No," Tony cut her off. "At least not unless I know they're okay with that, obviously. Just seems rude to leave them out?"

"That's rich, coming from you," Pepper laughed. "You've never worried about being rude in your life. But you have a point nonetheless."

Score. Tony grinned at her, pleased. "I usually do."

"Good. Go apply it to that essay, so that you can move on to a more interesting topic," she suggested pointedly. "Meanwhile, I am going to go find Rhodey."

"Tell him he still owes me dinner," Tony told her. "He bet me that I couldn't finish that programming assignment in fewer lines than he did and I totally did."

Shaking her head in mock-disappointment, Pepper left the workshop again. But not before Tony spotted her amused smirk. She did enjoy it when they got competitive.

Settling himself at his computer, he cracked his knuckles. "Now. How the fuck can I make this topic relevant?"


End file.
